ODA's gain is Eastways loss!

Just been on the British Cycling website.
They are currently trumpeting a few concessions by the Olympic Development Agency as a way forward. This includes a road circuit of 1 mile. WOW! I bet the Eastway User Group are wetting themselves with excitement. This flagship facility will then be nearly as good as the Milton Keynes Bowl.

IMO this latest fobbing off British Cycling has accepted just shows how the Olympic Games and Government combine to railroad through their plans at any cost. All in the name of profit!When the plans originally produced by the ODA last year were published British Cycling should have objected immediately and threatened not to enter any teams in the London Olympics if this 'land stealing plan' was put into effect.Obviously, the thought of a spanking new velodrome in the capitol could not be resisted by the track obsessed management of British Cycling and were willing to sacrifice the Eastway User Group on the altar of expediency!

Yip I think your comment is a fair one. I find the whole deal with the Olympics a pretty disgusting one. If this comment on the proposed Olympic stadium by a 5live commentator is anything to go by, they have a seriously seriously skewed view of what really matters in life:

"It's absolutely non-negotiable that it has to be ready on time," said Radio 5 Live sports news correspondent Gordon Farquhar.
"They've got a large contingency fund if things go wrong but they don't want to spend more than that.
"If it's not ready on time, that is probably the greatest shame the nation has faced in years.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of BC's attitude to the Eastway track, I think you are wrong to characterise them as "track obsessed management".

They are certainly concentrating at an international level on the track because UK funding is based on Olympic medal success (and there are more medals available and win-able on the track). BC also believes the track is a more level playing field and in addition, parents are more willing to allow kids to participate in track sessions.

But BC are committed to spreading their success onto the road and the formation of a GB road team is a start.

Therefore I think the Eastway fiasco isn't a reflection of their strategic priorities but an example of a simple job that's just been done badly. Attacking their ethos will make them defend their commitment to track cycling rather than answer the accusation that Eastway was surrendered too easily.

They are certainly concentrating at an international level on the track because UK funding is based on Olympic medal success (and there are more medals available and win-able on the track). BC also believes the track is a more level playing field and in addition, parents are more willing to allow kids to participate in track sessions.

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True, true, true. BUT they (BC) have been saying for nearly ten years that they will switch funding to help the road side. Don't see much evidence of this currently!

Plus, Eastway User Group went along with BC for a short while, until it became obvious that they had been 'sold-a-pup' and then BC turned on EUG and said it was a reasonable deal??????

Anyone in touch with grass roots at BC care to comment, or are you keeping your collective heads down?

Anyone in touch with grass roots at BC care to comment, or are you keeping your collective heads down?

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You won't get that lot to own up to having been swindled by the LDA and ODA - they still like to think of themselves as the Movers and Shakers of British cycling. Wankers.

There are a few exceptions among the BCF's membership - people like the South East Region's chair, John Hawkridge, have not been backward in taking the national "leadership" to task over the Eastway fiasco - but they are like prophets in the wilderness.

As for them being the London Olympics... most cyclists who live in London couldn't give a toss about some beanfeast for international doping champions to be held in 5 years' time, and wish they were being held in Paris. We just want the Eastway replacement we were promised, and we want it NOW, not when it suits the bloody LDA to get round to it. Two whole seasons will have been lost before we get the Hog Hill circuit, with no interim replacement. The damage done to grass roots and youth cycling in London is incalculable